Residents of Tyomu community in Makurdi Local Government, Benue State, blocked the Makurdi-Gboko road to protest the alleged abduction of 18 mourners, mostly women. The victims were reportedly abducted last Friday evening, September 25, along the Makurdi-Naka-Adoka-Ankpa road while travelling to Kogi State for a burial ceremony. The community raised and paid N3 million ransom, but the abductors refused to release the victims.
The protesters, some carrying fresh palm fronds, chanted songs in their native language as they blocked the highway, causing traffic gridlock and leaving motorists stranded for hours. Special Adviser to Governor Hyacinth Alia on Security and Internal Affairs, Chief Joseph Har, confirmed the incident but said the exact number of people abducted had yet to be established. Har reported the incident to the relevant security agencies, who are working on it.
Har explained that tracing kidnap victims could be difficult because the location from which abductors make ransom calls may be different from where their captives are being held. He said it was a challenge for security agencies to navigate and identify the exact location. However, Har assured that the government is working on the case and keeping the families of the victims informed.
Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Chief Solomon Iorpev, also confirmed the incident and appealed for calm, saying the state government was working with security agencies to secure the victims' release. Iorpev said the victims, who were mostly women from Tyomu community, had hired a commercial vehicle to convey them to the burial. The transport company, Ejifa Travel Services, had not initially reported the incident to the police.
According to Iorpev, the Commissioner of Police informed the government that the transport company did not report the incident to the police, and it was the protest by the affected people that eventually brought the matter to the attention of the Commissioner of Police. The police commissioner has moved to liaise with the transport company and families of the victims to begin tracing the abductors.
Iorpev urged transport operators to promptly report security incidents to the appropriate authorities. He called for calm, assuring that the government will do something as soon as possible to resolve the matter. The Commissioner of Police will lead his team to see what can be done to resolve the matter in the shortest possible time.
Chief Joseph Har advised residents against travelling at night along routes considered unsafe, citing the danger of the situation along the Makurdi-Naka-Adoka-Ankpa road. He emphasized that travelling to Kogi State at night is a concern and that people should not be putting themselves under pressure by using such routes.
Key points
- The abduction occurred on September 25 along the Makurdi-Naka-Adoka-Ankpa road.
- The community paid N3 million ransom, but the abductors refused to release the victims.
- The state government is working with security agencies to secure the victims' release.
